When I decided to visit Mysore palace I did not know anything other than Tippu Sultans residence. At the entrance could see a crowd of street vendors with many kind of items from eatables, hangings, fancies etc. In spite of these people, on one side there was a street exclusively for the sale of bags, toys, chappals. Moving forward to reach the counter, I was surprised to see the ticket cost. If you are a foreigner you need to pay above Rs200( exact amount I cant remember). Is this a kind of financial revenge for stealing our wealth years back? If the answer is yes or no , I cant accpet to this custom, mainly we demand equality for all in all fields. Foreigner is a person who does not belong to that locality, in that case I was also a foreigner but unfortunately or fortunately I dint have to pay that much.
Once you enter the palace compound , you can see different kind of people -school children, couples, family. Your baggage will be checked at the entrance , and you will be moved forward to see the garden and palace in wide view. When you are about to enter the palace , we had to remove our sandals and give in the counter where there is a board hanged "THIS IS A FREE SERVICE. NO CHARGE APPLICABLE". Again you become a terrorist, :) second check for baggage. Now there device makes a beep beep for your video camera. I don't know then what was the purpose of first check. Again you need to walk back to the first checking place to place your camera in a locker. Back to the palace entrance your third check and ticket will be asked.
After all this I did not feel I am entering a royal palace, it was like entering the national border.
Saw many idols placed inside glass rooms, but the carvings were beautiful on the wall and roof. A silver door which was tall enough to gaze at, durbar where the king met his ministers, royal stairs, images of kings with thick and long moustache, royal chairs, the windows where the royal females used to stand and watch happenings in durbar, the roof had carvings of ten avatars of Lord Vishnu, thick pillars and a wide huge hall where the king rested and watched the ground and fights. There was not much to see with eagerness, I found there is a loss in the royal majestic look of the palace.Somewhere maintainance using plastics has caused a dullness in the proud look.
Once you step out and walk there is a temple where you enter like a park and get out. Even after giving the priest Rs 10 he did not give prasadam. What temple ! What priest!
Yet another palace was waiting for us, but had to take a new ticket and the routine repeats ( separate charge for foreigner :) ) Decided not to see any more palaces
And we had a walk inside the compound, poor elephant being tortured in the name of Elephant Safari. This is not what is tourism, this is what is looting of money from common man in the name of tourism.
Sorry we had to take our chappals, the board hanged was just a hanging , when they returned the chappal they ask for tip. So no free service. Same in the locker where we kept our camera.
Nothing is free of cost.
If Tipu was alive I dont think he will entertain this kind of act
From there we decided to go back to our room
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